Aptos · Santa Cruz County

Schools in ZIP code 95003

Two districts run the ranked public schools in ZIP code 95003: Pajaro Valley Unified (elementary, middle and high) and Santa Cruz City High (high). The 3 public elementary schools in ZIP code 95003 run from the 29th to the 71st percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Elementary · 3 schools · Pajaro Valley Unified

from 29th to 71st · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Rio del Mar Elementary: 71st percentile, Solid
  • Valencia Elementary: 69th percentile, Solid
  • Mar Vista Elementary: 29th percentile, Developing
0Needs Support
1Developing
2Solid
0Strong

One dot per school.

A ZIP code doesn’t decide which school a child attends. Confirm the school for your address with the district.

Middle and high school pictures

Middle · 1 school · Pajaro Valley Unified

at 47th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Aptos Junior High: 47th percentile, Developing
0Needs Support
1Developing
0Solid
0Strong

High · 2 schools · Pajaro Valley Unified and Santa Cruz City High

from 6th to 51st · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests

  • Aptos High: 51st percentile, Solid
  • Delta Charter: 6th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
0Developing
1Solid
0Strong

One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level.

Schools around ZIP code 95003

6 listed public schools with mapped locations.

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Percentile among California schools at the same level

  • Strong75th+
  • Solid50–74th
  • Developing25–49th
  • Needs Supportbelow 25th
  • Not scored

The school lists on this page are also available without the map.

These are the same schools listed on the Aptos page.

Elementary schools

Which elementary schools in ZIP code 95003 score highest?

Rio del Mar Elementary is highest, at the 71st percentile.

That’s higher than 71 in 100 of the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in ZIP code 95003

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean

Context

The average elementary school in ZIP code 95003 had 15 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.

Middle schools

Where does the middle school we score in ZIP code 95003 stand?

Aptos Junior High is at the 47th percentile.

That’s higher than 47 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). It’s the only public middle school we score in ZIP code 95003.

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

High schools

Which high schools in ZIP code 95003 score highest?

Aptos High is highest, at the 51st percentile.

That’s higher than 51 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).

Highest in ZIP code 95003

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

  • Aptos HighPajaro Valley Unified
    51stSolidScope Score 56
  • Delta CharterSanta Cruz City High · Charter school. Check how it admits students.
    6thNeeds SupportScope Score 37

5 private schools have an address in ZIP code 95003. They don’t take California’s state tests, so we don’t score them. See them in the private-school directory →

Which places nearby can you look at next?

Nearby ZIP codes

More places (8)

School districts

City

Before kindergarten

Common questions

Which public schools in ZIP code 95003 rank highest?

Elementary: Rio del Mar Elementary, 71st percentile (Solid). Middle: Aptos Junior High, 47th percentile (Developing). High: Aptos High, 51st percentile (Solid). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.

Does living in ZIP code 95003 decide which school my child attends?

No. ZIP codes are for mail; attendance boundaries decide the school for an address. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (3)

Are the public schools in ZIP code 95003 good?

The 3 public elementary schools in ZIP code 95003 run from the 29th to the 71st percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 2 Solid and 1 Developing. ZIP code 95003 has one public middle school we score, Aptos Junior High, at the 47th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Developing. The 2 public high schools in ZIP code 95003 run from the 6th to the 51st percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 1 Solid and 1 Needs Support. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.

How does chronic absence in ZIP code 95003 compare with California?

The average elementary school in ZIP code 95003 had 15 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.

Where do these results come from?

California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.

Sources and methodology

This page lists the schools with a 95003 mailing address. Attendance zones follow school districts rather than postal boundaries.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school

Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.

View CDE data ↗ (opens in a new tab)How Scope Scores work →

Download these schools (CSV)Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.